Trump's message to Comey before Senate hearing: 'I wish him luck'

— -- When asked today about his message to former FBI director James Comey, who will testify Thursday in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, President Donald Trump replied, "I wish him luck."

Trump made the comment in a meeting with Republican leadership on health care and tax cuts.

His comments come as the Hill prepares for Comey's Thursday testimony, which will be the first time Comey has spoken publicly since his firing in early May. A source familiar with Comey's thinking recently told ABC News that Comey's testimony will make the president uncomfortable, but will not accuse him of obstructing justice.

The committee is expected to question Comey about his reported encounters with the president in relation to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. One memo allegedly written by Comey, which was first reported by The New York Times, detailed a conversation between him and Trump earlier this year in which the president allegedly said, "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go," referring to the FBI’s investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

When the president fired Comey early last month, he wrote a letter to him saying, “While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau.”

However, Comey's associates have recently told ABC News that Comey would never have offered such assurances.